Life in Lockdown Photography Competition: Pembrokeshire Youth

The ‘Life in Welsh Lockdown’ photography competition was developed by Pembrokeshire Youth’s Outreach team as a way to further engagement with young people during the pandemic. Its initial aim was to challenge Pembrokeshire’s Young People to utilise the ‘one form of exercise per day’ rule to get out and creatively document their lives in lockdown.

The project offered participants a platform to express themselves during an unprecedented time, as well as the opportunity to be shortlisted for prizes in the form of Amazon vouchers and publication in both local and national media.

Following a meeting with neighbouring Local Authority Youth Services, Pembrokeshire Youth offered to share the ‘Life in Welsh lockdown’ format and marketing materials so that it could be implemented across Wales, offering a greater insight into the lives of our nation’s young people during these exceptionally challenging circumstances. The project was subsequently extended across several other local authority areas. Pembrokeshire saw the project run for 11 rounds, receiving 240 submissions, with young people’s work published both locally and nationally.

The judging panel was impressed by this example of how a simple idea, implemented well, had such a huge impact on the lives of many young people. The high levels of passion and enthusiasm for the project shone through the nomination, as well as the demonstrable impact on wellbeing.